For a structural engineering project to be successful, you need to work with competent masons. It is the masons who do the actual construction work. Structural engineers and other high level experts who are involved in structural engineering projects only issue instructions on what needs to be done. It is the masons (and other low level artisans) who actually implement the instructions. Therefore in the absence of competent masons, it is possible to end up with a structural engineering project that has major faults. Alternatively, in the absence of good masons, a structural engineering project can end up being delayed in a massive way: as poorly built sections keep on being demolished and rebuilt. One always has to remember that it is the masons who are responsible for proper implementation of structural designs. It therefore follows that a lot of care needs to be taken, when recruiting masons to work in a structural engineering project.

A contractor can opt to recruit the masons to work in a structural engineering project directly. This may be a question of putting up adverts, indicating that one is looking for masons – and giving a phone number or an email through which interested candidates can apply. Alternatively, a contractor can opt to recruit the masons to work in a structural engineering project through an agency. In this case, the whole thing would amount to outsourcing the task. Just as some contractors are known to outsource payroll accounting to companies like Securitas (through the Securitasepay system) so can a contractor opt to outsource the recruitment of masons. Best practice in business nowadays is to focus on one’s core functions and outsource the rest.

Whichever method one opts to use in recruiting masons to work in a structural engineering project, the most important thing is to ensure that the masons who are recruited are truly competent. To ascertain competence, you have to look at their qualifications. You may also need to look at their experience, and their track records with prior employers. Sometimes, it may be necessary to subject them to a written test, as well as a practical test, just to be sure that you have the right people, before hiring.

If any construction project is to be properly carried out, the structural designs have to be followed to the letter. If the structural designs are not followed to the letter, you end up with an edifice that is not structurally sound. Such a structure may, at the end of the day, be declared to be unsafe for human habitation. But even if it is approved for occupation, it will tend to require frequent repairs. It may also not be durable. The latter scenario, where you end up with edifices that are not very durable, is commonly witnessed in projects that entail construction of bridge structures.

The question that arises, then, is as to what can be done, to ensure that structural designs are properly implemented in construction projects. And in my experience, there are three things that can be done, to ensure that is done.

Firstly, the people who are involved in the construction projects need to be sensitized on the importance of the structural designs. They need to be informed that if they don’t follow the structural engineering designs to the letter, they will end up with edifices that are not structurally sound – and that they will be held responsible for the aftermath. They also need to be informed that their professional reputations will be ruined, if they don’t follow the structural designs to the letter. Thus, a mason or a foreman may choose not to follow a structural design to the letter. But then, in future, he may go to a site like www.sunbiz.org, with a view to register a construction company. And while it will probably be easy enough for him to get the company incorporated at Sunbiz.org (given the fact that the incorporation rules at the Sunbiz website are so simple), he is likely to struggle being awarded projects thereafter. This would be due to his damaged reputation. Thus, it is important to make it clear that it is in the workers’ best interests to follow the structural designs to the letter: otherwise they risk messing up with their professional reputations.

Secondly, the structural engineers need to be closely involved in the construction projects, in order to ensure full compliance with the structural designs. This way, if a key element is missed, the problem can be noticed early enough, and rectified before it gets compounded.

Thirdly, in major construction projects, it is often necessary to hire staff whose sole responsibility is that of ensuring that the structural designs are properly implemented.The cost of hiring such people is nothing, compared to the possibility of ending up with an edifice that is not structurally sound.

Lately, I have been involved in several bridge construction projects. This is actually the first time in my career that I have gotten a full-time engagement in bridge structure construction. I must confess that I have found bridge construction work to be very interesting. Unlike other types of structures, bridges require a very high level of attention to detail, if one is to get their construction right. There is very little room for mistakes in these projects. Ultimately, I have come to the conclusion that there are four very critical aspects in all projects that entail construction of bridge structures.

Firstly, if you wish to end up with bridges that are structurally sound, you have to ensure that you get the paper-based structural designs right. Unfortunately, some contractors imagine that the development of these designs is ‘just a mere formality’. So a contractor simply tells a structural engineer to get some random design. The engineer is then supposed to proceed to a mail site like www.sbcglobal.net, and once there, log into his or her SBCglobal email – and proceed to send the random design for approval. You therefore end up with a structural engineer coming up with a design, with actually having the benefit of visiting the site of the proposed bridge! This is very wrong, because a genuine effort should otherwise be made, to understand the weight that the bridge will have to bear, the type of soil the bridge will be set up on, the kind of elements of nature the bridge will be up against… and so on. And all these apply even for the smallest bridges: the culverts meant for use on private driveways.

Secondly, if you wish to end up with bridges that are structurally sound, you have to ensure that you get the steel fixing element right. You have to appreciate that in these sorts of structures, it is actually the steel that ends up bearing the weight. You have to ensure that the steel fixing is therefore done right. I have witnessed some conscientious contractors going as far as engaging consultant structural engineers on a full-time basis to oversee the steel fixing.

Thirdly, if you wish to end up with bridges that are structurally sound, you have to ensure that you get the concrete mixing element right.

Fourthly, if you wish to end up with bridges that are structurally sound, you have to ensure that you get the concrete curing right. You have to ensure that you pour the right amount of water, for the right number of days, in order to ensure that adequate curing takes place. Curing often comes across as a simple thing, but failure to do it right can lead to major structural defects — especially for bridge structures.

There is one tried and proven way through which a professionally-trained structural engineer can get wealthy. That is by ‘simply’ becoming a consultant. It is, of course, true that not all consultant structural engineers are wealthy people. But then it is also true that a considerable number of consultant structural engineers are well-to-do folks, money-wise. In my experience, of all the options that are open to a typical structural engineer, the most straightforward one through which he can attain financial wealth is by becoming a consultant. The path towards becoming a consultant structural engineer is, however, not a very easy one: as we will see in today’s blog post.

If you are keen on becoming a consultant structural engineer, you have to start by getting a good engineering degree from a school that is well regarded. A graduate degree wouldn’t do much harm either: it is definitely an added advantage, especially for someone who is eyeing a career in consultancy.

After attaining your structural engineering degree, the next step will be that of getting experience. You can’t be serious in wanting to be a ‘consultant’ straight out of college. Let’s face the truth: by the time you graduate, you may not even be in a position to (practically) guarantee the structural integrity of a basic dwelling. You need experience: lots of relevant, applicable experience. To get experience, you may have to make certain sacrifices. For instance, upon graduating with your fancy engineering degree, you may be lucky enough to get a job with, say, a shipping company – like UPS for instance. If you opt to take such a job, you’d subsequently find yourself eligible to go to the UPS employee login page, and log in to your account there – only to find a very healthy paycheck waiting for you. Yet in spite of that opportunity, in the interest of trying to get ‘valid’ and ‘relevant’ structural engineering experience, you may find yourself having to forego such a job: in favor of a lower-paying position at a structural engineering firm. In that sort of situation, what you need to do is focus on the bigger picture, with emphasis on delayed gratification.

Armed with solid qualifications and experience, the next step in the path towards becoming a consultant structural engineer is that of accumulating capital. You will need a bit of capital, to hire offices for your consultancy, pay initial salaries for the consultancy’s employees… and so on. It is also at this stage that you may need to create the networks you need, if at all you are to get any decent consultancy jobs.